Code Is Speech

by Tim Lee on May 3, 2007 · Comments

Or in this case, 128-bit numbers are songs:

Comments Posted in: DMCA, DRM & Piracy

Steve R.

Recently, you raised the question of Patents vs. the Rule of Law. I wrote that: "1. The "Rule of Law" (including a respect of property rights) will only work if the members of society believe that the law is really working for the benefit of society. If the law is viewed as a vehicle to solely further the goals of special interests, then the populace will feel minimal obligation to comply with the law. Given this scenario, those who are technologically savvy would not only feel free to break technological roadblocks, but would also consider it to be their civic duty." Responding to the events at Digg, Ed Felten wrote "Which brings us to the civil disobedience angle. It’s no secret that many in the tech community despise the DMCA’s anticircumvention provisions. If you’re going to defy a law to show your disagreement with it, you’ll look for a situation where (1) the application of the law is especially inappropriate, (2) your violation does no actual harm, and (3) many others are doing the same thing so the breadth of opposition to the law is evident. That’s what we see here."

Crosbie Fitch

Kate Bush recently sang the first umpteen digits of Pi, so this is not without precedent...